Collar can collar and mounting



April 26, 1949.

J. COYLE ET AL COLLAR CAN COLLAR AND MOUNTING Filed Dec. 30, 1944 INVENTOR. John Boyle a d williamf'. Punce Patented Apr. 26, 1949 COLLAR CAN COLLAR AND MOUNTING John Coyle and William F. Punte, Baltimore, Md.,

assignors to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 30, 1944, Serial No. 570,654

Claims. (Cl. 22054) The invention relates generally to metallic receptacles, and more particularly to the type known as collar cans wherein are provided tear strip structures adapted to be wound on keys and by this means torn out'of the body walls of the cans in order to effect "an opening thereof, and it primarily seeks to provide a novel collar structure for such cans and a novel collar mounting.

In cans of the type stated the tear strips usually are defined by parallel score lines which surround the cans adjacent the upper end closures thereof, and a collar is snugly fitted within the upper end of each can in position for extending upwardly from the upper extremity of the can body resulting from the tearing out of the rip strip, thereby to maintain the desired can body wall height and provide a support neck over which the skirt or body wall portion remaining attached to the upper end closure can be telescoped to effect a reclosure of the can. It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a novel form of collar of the character stated and a novel collar mounting, said collar including an annularly pleated portion, and being inserted into the upper endof a can body preferably having a preformed, outwardly projecting bead, said pleated collar portion being partially collapsed to cause a part of the pleated portion to project into said bead and effect a collar anchoring engagement in the can body.

An object of the invention is to provide a collar of the character stated in which there is included an annularly pleated wall portion comprising a pleat having an outwardly directed nose or rib normally disposed within the outer diameter of the collar and joined to the collar by flange portions which preferably are narrower than the flange portions forming said nose so that upon folding together or partial collapsing of the pleated wall portion, when mounted in a can, said nose will be forced outwardly beyond the outer diameter of the collar and into collar anchoring engagement in a preformed, outwardly projecting bead in the can body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel collar of the character stated in which the pleated wall portion is composed of two upper and lower inwardly directed annular flange portions and two outwardly directed flange portions connected together at their outer extremities to form an annular nose or rib and connected at their inner extremities to the first mentioned flange portions, said outwardly directed flange portions preferably being wider than the upper and lower inwardly directed flange portions and bearin such angular Irelation as to normalli i place the nose or rib within the outer diameter of the collar prior toanchoring of the collar in a can body.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a collar and mounting of the character stated in which the can body is provided with a preformed collar anchoring bead in which to receive the annular nose orrib' which is projected outwardly incidental to the folding or collapsing of the pleated wall portion of the collar.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more fully understood by following the detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a part side elevation and part vertical cross sectional view of a can body embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the collar inserted in the can body, the shape of the collar prior to the folding of the pleats therein being shown in dotted lines;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustratin the collar per se;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modified arrangement in which the collar folds or pleats are collapsed simultaneously at opposite ends toward a stationary central plane.

In this disclosure the invention is illustrated as embodied in a can including a body 5, and a lower end closure 6. It is to be understood that a top end closure (not shown) ultimately will be applied, said closure preferably being seam secured on the can body in the conventional manner.

The can body 5 is provided adjacent its upper end with an outwardly directed bead 1 and an inwardly directed bead 8 just below the bead 1, and between the bead I and the upper end extremity of the body said body is scored in the conventional manner to provide a tear strip 8 adapted to be wound about a key and torn from the wall of the can body in the manner well known in the art for effecting an opening of the can.

According to the invention a collar including a main body portion lll is snugly fitted within the upper end of the can body, and when the collar is properly mounted in the can body, the main body portion thereof extends above and below the tear strip ,9 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 2. Atv its upper extremity the collar body is equipped with an inwardly curled bead II, and at its lower extremity the collar is provided with an annularly pleated wall portion generally designated l2. The collar wall pleating is accordion pleating or approximately so and specifically is formed to comprise two upper and lower inwardly directed flange portions l3, and these flange portions l3 join with two outwardly directed annular flange portions l4 joined at their outer ends to provide a nose or rib l5. It will be observed by reference to, Figures 2 and 3 that the flange portions M are wider than the upper and lower flange portions l3, and that the outwardly directed nose or rib l normally is disposed within the outside diameter of the collar so as to permit insertion of the collar into the can body.

In effecting the secure mounting of the collar in the can body, the collar is inserted in the can body in the manner illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 2 with the lower edge extremity resting upon the inwardly directed bead '8. Thereafter, the pleats or flange portions I3 and [4 are partially collapsed or folded together in the manner illustrated in full lines in said figure and by reason of the differences in widths of the flange portions l3 and 14, the anchoring nose or rib I5 is forced outwardly beyond the outer diameter of the collar body It) into collar anchoring engagement in the body bead 1. The lower edge extremity of the collar, preferably, but not necessarily, maintains its seat on the can body bead 8 as at I 6.

If desired the partial collapsing or folding together of the pleated collar portion [2 comprising the fiange portions l3, l3 and the connected flange portions l4, M can be so performed as to maintain the anchoring nose or rib l5 and the. center of the can body rib in the same horizontal plane during the anchoring of the collar in. the can body as indicated at [1 in Figure 4. In this manner of anchoring the collar in the can body, the lower edge extremity will be pulled away slightly above the body bead 8 as indicated at 18.

Whether the anchoring of the collar in the can body bead is brought about as indicated in Figure 2, or as in Figure 4, depends upon the type of apparatus employed in effecting the partial collapsing or folding together of the pleats or flange portions l3 and I4. Such apparatus is not disclosed herein because obviously various types of apparatus can be used, and the particular types of apparatus form no part of the present invention.

By forming and mounting the collar in the manner hereinbefore described, said collar will not only be securely anchored in the can body, but it will be so mounted as to present no raw metal edge portions in position for being contacted by the hand of a user of the can.

It is to be understood that the collar herein disclosed may comprise an endless band such as would be formed from a drawn. ring, or it may be shaped from a strip joined at its ends in an approved manner. An example of the last mentioned type of collar is shown in the copending application for U. S. Letters Patent, Serial Number 542,961, new Patent No. 2,433,031, issued December 23, 1947, filed by John Coyle and William F. Punte, on June 30, 1944. When collars formed from end joined strips are employed, the joint or seam disclosed by said Coyle and Punte will be found desirable because in this form of joint or' seam the multiple thicknesses of collar band metal are disposed only at the central cylindriform body portion of the collar and no overlapping of wall thicknesses is presented at the upper edge curl or the lower edge bent portions of the collar.

It should be apparent that collars constructed and mounted in the manner herein disclosed can be incorporated in oval cans, or in square or oblong cans having rounded corners as well as in the more commonly used round cans.

While one form of the improved collar has been shown for purposes of illustration, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in the details of construction and arrangement of the collar parts may be made without departing from a the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a sheet metal container, a container body annularly scored adjacent its upper extremity to provide a tear strip, and a collar snugly fitting within the body and having a main body portion lying opposite and extending above and below the tear strip and an annularly pleated portion comprising a pleat having an outwardly directed nose formed by inwardly diverging flange portions and jointed to the collar by flange portions which are narrower than said diverging flange portions, said pleat flange portions being partially collapsed so as to force said nose outwardly in tight contact with the container body portion thereby to securely anchor the collar in the container.

2. In a sheet metal, container, a container body annularly scored adjacent its upper extremity to provide a tear strip, and. a collar snugly fitting within the body and having a main body portion lying opposite and, extending above and below the tear strip and an annularly pleated portion comprising a pleat having an outwardly directed nose formed by inwardly diverging flange portions and joined to the collar by flange portions which are narrower than. said diverging flange portions, said pleat flange portions being partially collapsed so as to force said nose outwardly in 7 tight contact with the container body portion thereby to securely anchor the collar in the container, said container body having a preformed annular outwardly extended bead therein in which said nose reposes in its collar anchoring container body engagement.

3. In a sheet metal container, a container body annularly scored adjacent its upper extremity to provide a tear strip, and a collar snugly fitting within the body and having a main body portion lying opposite and extending above and. below the tear strip and an annularly pleated portion comprising a pleat having an outwardly directed nose formed by inwardly diverging flange portions and joined to the collar by flange portions which are narrower than said diverging flange portions, said pleat flange portions being partially collapsed so as to force said nose outwardly in tight contact with the container body portion thereby to securely anchor the collar in the container, said container, body having a preformed annular outwardly extended bead therein in which said nose reposes in its collar anchoring container body engagement and a preformed annular inwardly extended bead on which the lower edge extremity of the collar rests.

4. In a sheet-metal container, a container body provided adjacent its upper extremity with a tear strip and having an outwardly extending peripheral annular bead disposed below said. tear strip presenting an inwardly facing groove having a surface curved in cross-section, and a collar snug- 1y fitting Within the body having a main body portion lying opposite and extendin above and below the tear strip and an annular accordion pleated portion extending below said groove having one of its pleats extending into the groove and contacting the inner surface within the groove.

5. A sheet-metal container according to claim 4, wherein said one of its pleats extending into the groove has line contact with the said inner surface.

JOHN COYLE. WILLIAM F. PUNTE.

REFERENCE S CIT ED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Barrath Oct. 31, 1893 Asche May 7, 1895 Hoiland et a1 Nov. 22, 1910 Sinko et a1. Nov. 1, 1927 Young Sept. 18, 1928 Widell Jan. 5, 1932 Punte Mar. 15, 1932 Kronquest Oct. 31, 1933 OBrien Dec. 25, 1934 Lathrap May 18, 1937 Bugge Nov. 9, 1943 

